Chemical eng. degree course guide

Understanding the processes behind products which have helped transform the
modern world.

Finding the right formula: While many university-leavers are struggling to land jobs, a growing skills shortage means that graduates in science, technology, engineering and maths (known as STEM subjects) have never been more in demand. Photo: SUNSET/Rex Features

By Warwick Mansell

10:58AM BST 14 Jul 2011

"Hypotheses, like professors, when they are seen not to work any longer in the laboratory, should disappear." Henry Edward Armstrong, chemist

What qualification do you leave with?

You have a choice of Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) or Master of Engineering (MEng) courses.

How long is the degree?

Outside of Scotland, BEng courses last three years, while MEng degrees take four. In Scotland, both courses last a year longer.

What does it cover?

Chemical engineering is the science behind many products, developed and perfected within the 125 year modern history of this subject, which are now seemingly essential to our everyday lives. From ice cream and today's beers to plastics, electronics, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas and nuclear power, the understanding of the chemical engineer is central.

Many of these fields are dominated by household name companies which occupy a commanding place in the UK economy, meaning that graduates in this subject are in demand.

Chemical engineering courses initially tend to emphasise building mathematical and scientific understanding, while the more specific chemical engineering faculties are developed as the course progresses. Courses will also give students the chance to develop their business, project management, information technology and teamworking skills, which are attributes which will be important in industry.

A course might begin with modules on maths and physical chemistry alongside an introduction to chemical engineering, and to subjects including thermodynamics and experimental work, followed in year two by more mathematical work and the development of central chemical engineering subjects such as chemical separation processes, environmental control and safety. Topics for the latter years, as students build their technical skills, can include pollution control, nuclear technology, fluid engineering and process control.

Some courses also offer modules in less directly scientific subjects which are likely to be important in industrial and commercial settings: Imperial College offers modules on information management, international business and operations management, while University College London offers a corporate finance course. Project work is also a feature of most courses.

Graduates with an MEng are well-placed to gain Chartered Engineer status, which will come after time spent in employment after graduation. Those with a BEng have to undergo further study in order to achieve the mark.

What can you expect?

Having demonstrated your academic ability by meeting the high entry standards of these courses, you will build on this while gaining detailed knowledge of the chemical processes integral in industrial plants and possibly also developing business understanding.

What are the usual A-levels you need?

Two out of maths, chemistry and physics tend to be required.

Do grades matter?

Chemical engineering tends to have very high entry standards. World-renowned Imperial College, for example, usually requires two A*s and an A from applicants.

Career prospects

Chemical engineers have a wide range of options available to them which draw on the specific knowledge of the course: from work in the oil and gas industries to pharmaceuticals, food and drink, the nuclear industry, electronics, pollution control, environmental protection and biotechnology. Big-name companies involved in these fields include Procter and Gamble, Unilever, Shell, BT, and GlaxoSmithKline.

Top places to study

The Complete University Guide rates Cambridge, Imperial, Loughborough, Edinburgh and Manchester as the top five universities for chemical engineering according to an index based on student satisfaction, entry standards, an assessment of the quality of the university's research and graduate prospects.